Latching means



Aug. 12, 1941. M. 1.. 'THQMAS 2,252,653

LATCHING MEANS Filed Feb. 15, 1939 flfarr/n L. mamas,

Patented Aug. 12, 1941 UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE a 2,252,653 a 1 LATCHING MEANS Marvin Lyle Thomas, Norfolk, Va.

Application February 13, 1939, Serial No. 256,215 3 Claims. (01. 217-60) This invention relates to latches, and more particularly to quick releasable latching means of the type having a pin movable within a slot and engageable within a reentrant recess.

The type of latch to which this invention re lates has been extensively used in the past, and one such use of considerable importance involves the fixing of a pin to the body portion of a com- 'partment structure and a fiat hinged member to the cover for the compartment, the hinged member being provided with a reentrant recess for the reception of the pin whereby the cover may 'be secured in opened position and yet may be readily closed.

Heretofore, it has been customary toemploy latches'of the type indicated for various purposes and such latches have had wide application to many arts. Asthe type of latch under consideration was first employed, it was necessary in order to release the same that the hinged member be manually swung out of engagement with the pin so that it could be moved. Thereafter, as the art developed, many attempts were made to provide an automatic disengaging means for variously directing the relative movements of the pin and the reentrant recess and while certain of these improved constructions were quite satisfactory, they have not been completely successful largely because of the complexity of the apparatus required to accomplish the desired result. V

This invention has for an object the provision of a simplified latching means which overcomes the mechanical and-structural difficulties heretofore encountered in the art and at the same time contemplates the provision of means for disengaging the pin and reentrant recess without the necessity of touching the member having therein such recess. The present invention involves the provision of a reentrant recess in a movable member and by movement of suchmember in a single direction, the pin will come to rest adjacent the reentrant recess. Movement in the opposite direction will then cause the pin to be guided into the recess and beheld therein. Returning to the first type of movement, the pin may be disengaged from the recess, and returning to the second type of movement, the member having therein the recess may then travel back to its original position, means being provided to cause it to pass over the pin. The object is to provide an automatic disengaging means of the type outlined above which contemplates a spring adjacent the reentrant recess and so positioned as to guide the pin therein when desired and when the pin and recess are to be disengaged, the spring will function to prevent the recess from receiving the pin.

This invention has an important application in the art relating to lid supports adapted for use on automobile hoods, automobile luggage compartments, trunks, cabinets, desks and the like having hinged covers and in this connection the present invention involves the provision of a support pivotally connected to a cover and havmg I a longitudinally extending slot therein adapted to cooperate with a pin held by the side wall of the closure proper. Near the end of this slot, remote from theend adjacent the pivot point, there is provided a reentrant recess adjacent which there is positioned means for permitting said recess to receive the pin when desired, or if desired preventing the recess from receiving therein the pin. In a modification of the present invention, instead of a slotted support, it ispossible to have either a slot or guiding means provided in the side wall of the container for the purpose of receiving the lid support member containing the latching means constituting the present invention. 5

Other objects and advantages of the present invention willbe apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partially cut away showing an adaptation of the present invention to hinged covers, the cover being shown in opened position;

Figure 2 is an end elevation partially cut away showing the construction of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is aside elevation partially cut away showing the position of the support with respect to the cooperating pin when the cover is closed; Figured is a detailed view of the various positions assumed by the guide spring as the cover is lowered;

Figure 5 is a detailed view of a modification of I the invention dispensing With the slot in the support; and

Figure 6 is a section taken along the line 6-45 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and more particularly to Figures 1 to 4 inclusive thereof, there is shown a cabinet or box It provided with a cover I I adapted to move into various angular positions with respect to the top of the cabinet II] by virtue of hinged connection l2. Suitably secured to the top H, is an L-member [3 adapted to receive therein a pin I4 which constitutes a pivot support for the arm I5.

Arm I5 is centrally slotted for most of the length thereof, and adjacent the end remote from the pivot [4 there is a reentrant recess l6 near the mouth of which is fastened a leaf spring I! spot-welded to the arm H) at l8. It should be noted that the spring member extends beyond the mouth of the reentrant recess out into the longitudinally slotted portion of the arm generally transverse the same. Beyond the spring I! the longitudinal slot extends for a short distance terminating at 20.

Mounted on the side wall of the cabinet I0, there is a pin I9 which is received in the slotted portion of the arm l5 and constitutes a guide for said arm in its pivotal movement about the point I 4. When the cabinet is closed the position of the pin is that shown in Figure 3. As the top H is raised that portion of the arm l5 having cut therein the reentrant recess IE will approach the pin l9. As the top is moved upwardly about its axis at the hinge l2, the pin I9 will eventually contact the spring I1. At this point, if the lifting action on the top H is stopped and the top is released, the reentrant recess IE will receive the pin l9 therein. Thus, it will be seen that the top will be supported in open position as shown in Figure 1.

When it is desired to move the top from the position shown in Figure 1 to that shown in Figure 3, it is only necessary to raise up the top a bit further than the position of Figure 1 causing the spring to be flexed in the direction away from the pivot point 14 to release the pin l9 from the slot IS. The pin will then be received by the end of the slot designated at 20 as shown in Figure 4. Thereafter releasing all upward force tending to open the lid ll, gravity will cause the same to fall forcing the arm I5 downwardly. As this is done the pin !9 will be struck by the spring I! again, this time causing it to flex toward the pivot point l3 effectively closing the reentrant recess I6 and permitting the arm to move downwardly, guided by the pin [9 until it reaches the position shown in Figure 3. By the construction illustrated, it will be seen that the spring I! has a dual function. First, when it is desired to place the pin I9 within the reentrant recess IS, the spring acts as a guide; then when it is desired to disengage the pin from the reentrant recess and close the top, the spring I! will effectively shut off the reentrant recess so that the arm l5 may move into the position assumed when the lid is closed.

The spring I! shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive is generally L-shaped in cross-section along the base portion of its length so that the flexing portion may be inserted into a slot cut in the arm 15 and a flat portion 2| will overlie said arm. At this flat portion, the spring is spot-welded, riveted or otherwise suitably secured in position as shown at I8.

The construction shown in Figures 5 to 6 of the drawing involves the provision of a slot defined by staple 22 which is suitably secured to the side wall of the cabinet or box l0. By this expedient, the longitudinal slot in the arm [5 shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive can be obviated since the arm may be guided by the member 22. The arm designated as 23 pivots about a point 24 which may be attached to the top of a cabinet or box in the manner shown in Figure 1 and the arm 23 as a whole is received by the staple or guidemember 22. A reentrant recess 25 is provided 6 is similar to the device shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive. When the top is open, a portion of the member 22 will be received into the reentrant recess 25 and will constitute a support point for the weight of the cabinet top. When it is desired to lower the top, it is first slightly raised so that the spring will be flexed away from the point 24 permitting the member 23 to engage the staple 22 at point 21. Thereafter, the lid is lowered flexing spring 26 toward point 24 and permitting the arm 23 to assume non-supporting position.

I claim:

1. In combination with a closure having a fixed pin thereon and hinged cover, a longitudinally slotted arm pivotally connected to the cover and having in communication with said slot a reentrant recess adapted to receive said pin, and a leaf spring attached to said arm and projecting from the side thereof having the recess therein, said leaf spring being mounted adjacent the mouth of said recess and extending out from said arm at a point between said recess and the terminus of the slot adjacent the free end of the arm into the said slot transverse the longitudinal axis thereof for a distance about one-half the width of said slot, said leaf spring being adapted to be flexed across the mouth of said recess, whereby the pin may be disengaged from the reentrant recess by movement of the cover away from the closure and when the cover is released the spring will be flexed by the pin to close the mouth of the recess.

2. In combination with a closure having a fixed staple thereon and a hinged cover, an arm pivotally connected at one end to the cover and having in one side thereof a reentrant recess adapted to receive one shank of said staple, the mouth of said reentrant recess opening toward the free end of said arm, and a leaf spring attached to said arm on the side thereof having the reentrant recess therein, said leaf spring having its free end projecting from said side of said arm at a point adjacent the mouth of said recess and between the mouth of said recess and the free end of said arm, said leaf spring projecting for a distance sufficient to bridge said mouth when flexed thereacross, stop means on said arm cooperating with said shank of said staple to limit the movement of said arm in one direction, said staple bridging said arm to guide the same with respect to said shank thereof.

3. A latch adapted to function as a tie for relatively reciprocable elements comprising, a member secured at one end to one of the elements and a stud secured to the other element, said member having a stud contacting edge defining a path of relative movement of said stud and said member, means for continuously maintaining said stud and member in said path regardless of the direction of relative movement, said edge of said member being provided with a reentrant recess, and an element attached to said member normally projecting from said edge into said path at a point adjacent said recess and between the therein, whereby said element may aid in directing the stud into the recess upon relative movement of said stud and member in one direction and will be flexed by contacting with said stud to close the recess upon relative movement in the opposite direction after relative movement beyond the recess.

MARVIN LYLE THOMAS. 

